Tanker arrives to remove Cook Inlet oil

Posted: Wednesday, April 29, 2009

ANCHORAGE - A tanker has arrived at the Drift River Terminal near Alaska's erupting Mount Redoubt volcano to remove the remaining oil from a storage facility.

Rod Ficken with Cook Inlet Pipeline Co. says the transfer means that most of the oil at the terminal on Cook Inlet will be removed. About 2.5 million gallons of oil remained in two tanks after more than half was removed on April 6.

After the initial removal, about 840,000 gallons of water were pushed back into the tanks to prevent them from becoming buoyant if the tank farm flooded. The tanker will receive as much of the oily water mix as possible.

The terminal is about 22 miles from Mount Redoubt, which has been erupting and producing mud flows since March 22. Some flows have reached concrete-reinforced dikes surrounding the terminal.